If Heaven isn’t what it’s cracked up to be, send me back to Gimmelwald.
— Rick Steves, Writer, television personality, radio host, and America’s most respected authority on European travel
This post is part of my 33 Days in Europe series. Visit the hub page to follow along, see the full itinerary, and sign up for email updates.
We began with a lovely breakfast—typical European fare—with fresh breads, fruits, and of course a nice selection of cheeses. Eggs were offered, though I suspect that’s more for travelers than the local norm. We sipped Americanos and cappuccinos, the latter holding firm at the top of my personal food chain. For some reason, they just taste better in Europe. I know not why.
First, a view out our hotel balcony —a stunning waterfall. I wondered if the residents of this area, known as the Valley of the 72 Waterfalls, sleep well when away from them. I still imagine the constant water-rushing is the world’s best lullaby.
Today we head to Mürren via the cable car. I’m so excited to finally see what so many people rave about. Ron and I usually stay four days in an area and travel on the fifth, but Mürren seemed special enough to warrant a quick visit. In our grand 33-day vacation, we didn’t want to devote too much time to this corner of Switzerland—yet we couldn’t come all this way and not see it.
Side note: Cable Cars vs. Gondolas
I’ve referenced on this blog that we took the gondola in Switzerland, but that is incorrect. I’ve since learned that gondolas and cable cars are entirely different. A cable car is a large cabin suspended from multiple cables, usually holding up to 40 people, most of them standing. A gondola runs on a single thick cable, with many small cabins circulating continuously; each seats up to about 12 passengers. In this part of the Alps, the lifts between Mürren, Gimmelwald, and Stechelberg are true cable cars—the big boxy kind where everyone rides together.
Anyway, we caught a shuttle at the train station, a literal two-minute walk from our hotel. Though so close, the station sits at a lower elevation than the hotel and is hardly an eyesore. I can’t imagine a better setup. After a short ride we arrived at the station where we purchased tickets for the cable car up to Mürren. The car holds dozens of people, and we packed in like crayons in a flip-top box—orderly, but not crushed. Everyone seemed joyful: tourists thrilled to be surrounded by so much beauty as evidenced by their oohs and aahs, and locals too, perhaps because they breathe the freshest air, drink the purest water, and live in a wonderland.
Call this video a “backseat view”—unedited, noisy, and completely real. But it’s the only way to bring you along to see that spectacular waterfall.
Here’s another clip from the longest stretch of the ride up to Mürren. It’s unedited and a little rough, but that’s the real journey. I kept the sound for authenticity—enjoy!
The village of Mürren boasts staggering views. Sheer cliffs, fluffy clouds you can practically step through, steel-like mountains slicing into the sky. Standing among them fulfilled a bucket-list dream I didn’t know I had.
Isn’t that what travel is all about? Discovery?
At this time of year (May), with snow still visible in the distance (unusual for the season), I had the urge to stand with arms outstretched, twirl, and—just like Julie Andrews—belt out that famous line: “The hills are alive…” 🎶
Maybe next time.
Mürren
Mürren feels like what a ski village should be, even in springtime. I don’t ski, but I love the romance of it—wooden chalets, shop signs promising hot cocoa, sporting goods stores with racks of gear. Most shops cater to tourists, yet only a few people were out. It felt as if we had landed backstage, the pause before the show begins. I found it serene.
I regret not taking more photos of the restaurants and shops—there are several. I did buy a sports windbreaker at a hip shop to remind me of the place. The youthful cashiers had a laid-back, easy-breezy attitude; one even told me she came for a visit and never left. Other than the whir of workers’ utility vehicles and the occasional roar of a chainsaw—spring is the season of renewal, and here it clearly begins with chores—the silence astounded me.
The village, with only about 450 permanent residents, retains its historic charm while spiffing up with modern conveniences and a touch of sophistication.
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Here’s Ron and me in Mürren, walking as the clouds rise around us. I didn’t travel with blogging in mind—I’d only just returned to it—but with the hope of living each moment fully. So instead of posed photos, what I have to share are instinctive captures: “home movies,” raw and a little shaky, but etched in memory because of it.
Water fountains abound in Switzerland, and travelers are encouraged to fill their bottles and drink freely. The water is so pure that filters aren’t needed—the mountains do the filtering naturally, and better than anything man-made.
Another cloud-rising, me-gushing, I-can’t-believe-I’m-here video. Can we really get enough of these?
Hike to Gimmelwald
We strolled the neatly paved path from Mürren to Gimmelwald, taking Rick Steves’ advice—it’s one of his favorites. “Hike” makes it sound strenuous; really, it’s an easy 30-minute walk. We stowed our jackets, surprised by the warmth. I’d always imagined the Alps as snowy year-round, but these villages sit between 4,485 and 5,374 feet (for reference, that’s still lower than South Lake Tahoe in Northern California at 6,317 feet). A sports shirt was enough. Overhead, hang gliders floated in the open space between village and cliffs—no doubt someone else’s bucket-list dream unfolding right above us.
And then—the dandelions! Besides the cliffs and clouds, seas of yellow blossoms stole the day. Everywhere they leaned toward the sun, while purple flowers accompanied them. In nearly every video I took, I gush about this color palette. I couldn’t help it—the volume and beauty of spring’s hello were too stunning not to mention. Only recently I learned how important dandelions are because they are bees’ first food of spring, which made me happy to think the bees here would thrive. Hardly any mowed lawns, just natural landscape for the natural bees.
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Walk with me in this next video where we will see hang gliders soaring in the clouds, dandelions galore, rushing rivers, and waterfalls.
Gimmelwald
Arriving in Gimmelwald (not to be confused with the significantly more well-known Grindelwald) gave us front-row seats to a jaw-dropping panorama. Yet the village itself was still. We saw only a few people, and I wondered where everyone else was.
It makes sense now—Gimmelwald is tiny. The population hovers around 130 people. It’s a car-free village perched on the edge of the Bernese Alps, the kind of place where life beats to the rhythm of cowbells and the days are measured in the work of farming. Dairy is the backbone here, with farming and tourism keeping the economy afloat.
The village looks exactly like you’d dream it would: clusters of wooden chalets framed by the greenest meadows and a backdrop of snow-brushed peaks in the Jungfrau region. On this day, the soundscape was silent—the farmers and cows nowhere in sight. The entire scene felt surreal, like we’d discovered a long-lost tribe immune to outside forces. I felt out of place. Please know that I’m not exaggerating here. Pure utopia.
Reaching Gimmelwald is part of its magic. There are no cars, no busy roads funneling traffic in and out. You arrive by foot like we did along a trail from Mürren, or by cable car linking to Stechelberg in the valley. The same line also ties Gimmelwald to Mürren and continues up toward the Schilthorn. That summit is world-famous for its revolving restaurant, Piz Gloria, which featured in the 1969 James Bond film On Her Majesty’s Secret Service, starring George Lazenby.
So, while we didn’t make it up to Schilthorn today, I love knowing that this remote valley connects to that little bit of cinematic history.
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And Then There Were the Cowbells
Rows of bells, some the size of milk jugs, hung outside some houses, with smaller ones cascading beneath. They seemed more tools than decoration, neatly stored but ready for action. (We would see them in use the next morning—stay tuned for Day 8.)
Swiss cowbells, or Treicheln, vary significantly in size and weight, from small bells for young animals to massive ones that can weigh more than ten pounds and stand nearly 30 inches tall. The deeper tones help farmers locate their herds on vast Alpine pastures, deter predators, and even signal social rank—the biggest bells reserved for dominant cows. Many straps are decorated with family symbols or dates, turning them into both utility and heritage.
This cow passed my balcony on Day 8. It’s the lead cow and wears the largest bell.
We didn’t linger long in Gimmelwald. The silence and stillness set me right more than any yoga class or meditation could, but there really isn’t anything to do there except marvel at the scene. Soon we headed down to the base via the large aerial cable car, joined by a few other tourists. Floating through clouds, flanked by jagged charcoal cliffs streaked with white, was a moment I’ll never forget.
That’s a Wrap for this Day
We caught the shuttle back to our hotel, content. Dinner in Lauterbrunnen was simple and early. Later, we used the hotel’s laundry room. Ron used the dryers, but I hung a few of my wash-only clothes to dry in our room with a clever little travel line—tiny beads on the rope keep everything from sliding. It worked perfectly.
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What a magical day! We’re so glad we included Mürren and Gimmelwald in our grand plans, even for a short stay.
Simply stunning.
That’s a wrap for Day 7 of our 33 Days in Europe series.
Next Up – Day 8 of my 33 Days of Europe series
Next up we travel to Basel, Switzerland where we embark on a Viking river cruise down the Rhine River all the way to Amsterdam.
Think medieval towns and castles.
Gear I Recommend
See all my travel gear and essentials here: Things I Love & Recommend
Detailed Map of the Entire Journey
Below is a visual summary of our full 33-day route—hotels, attractions, Viking cruise path and stops, as well as transit modes and paths—hiking, train, plane, gondola.
Click to explore the interactive version and wander through the journey pin by pin.
